How to deal with owner guilt?

[JessiesGirl]

I’m feeling extremely guilty, selfish, and shameful. I’m not even 100% sure if it’s my fault, but I’m almost certain my juvenile/baby beardie (who I’ve only had for 2 weeks honestly) is sick with an RI or cold, and I’m not sure if I’ll have the opportunity to get him to a vet.

I feel like I tried so hard to make him happy and healthy. I fed him plenty of crickets, worms, and greens. I try giving him baths daily. I even bought a container for all his bugs. But maybe I just?? Didn’t do enough of something?? I feel like I got too excited and brought an animal into unsatisfactory conditions (his tank is just too small really, I think I have lighting issues & I wish he had more room to run around in) for my own selfish desires of wanting to take care of something interesting and be entertained. I’m so upset with myself; my gut is telling me I did something wrong - at the beginning I thought misting him & his tank was a good thing but now I feel like I just raised the humidity to the point of making him sick. At this point I wish I could just give him away and forget this ever happened. I don’t want him to die at all because I’ve gotten very attached to him. I apologize if this is too venty but I’m just so upset and I don’t know what to do.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

So sorry you are feeling this way. I think we all at one point or another go through a phase
such as this when our dragon has fallen ill, when you can't figure out what has happened,
exactly.
Have you reviewed your tank setup with us, to be sure it is all correct?
Please post some pictures of him, along with your tank setup so we can look over it to be
sure it's all correct. For now, try to keep him a little warmer overnight, usually around 75-80
is good to help boost his immune system.
Let's focus on trying to adjust your lighting or temperatures, etc so we can try to get him better.
What are his symptoms currently?
I am moving your thread to the Health section.

Tracie

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Health

 

[JessiesGirl]

Hello,

So sorry you are feeling this way. I think we all at one point or another go through a phase
such as this when our dragon has fallen ill, when you can't figure out what has happened,
exactly.
Have you reviewed your tank setup with us, to be sure it is all correct?
Please post some pictures of him, along with your tank setup so we can look over it to be
sure it's all correct. For now, try to keep him a little warmer overnight, usually around 75-80
is good to help boost his immune system.
Let's focus on trying to adjust your lighting or temperatures, etc so we can try to get him better.
What are his symptoms currently?
I am moving your thread to the Health section.

Tracie

Thank you. No I haven’t really reviewed my tank; his tank is quite small (10 gallons, at the time i bought him he was so tiny I unfortunately didn’t think it would bother him if he stayed for a while) but I’m currently working on getting him something between 55 - 75 off of Craigslist or Facebook. He has a 50watt heating bulb and a 10.0 ReptiSun UVB coil bulb, both in separate domes, but the UVB is as close to his heating lamp as I can get it to be. I’ve been informed that using a coil is not good for them so I plan on getting a tube ASAP. For the cool side, his thermometer usually says 75 and the warm side is usually up in the 90s.

Right now, the only symptoms I’ve really noticed are his heavy/weird breathing + a few minutes before I saw this reply I found a white/clear booger-ish looking mucus on the tip of his mouth and I just now noticed some strings when he opened his mouth, so I’m almost positive he’s sick now :/. He’s also being fairly indifferent with his eating, but I kind of chocked that up to the fact that he was shedding. He just pooped in the bath a few moments ago and it looked pretty normal. Besides that I would still consider him very alert and curious - tail up, eyes bright, constantly looking around, and he doesn’t hesitate to crawl around my hand/arm and swim in the bath. I’m confused because people always say when beardies get sick they become lethargic, but my beardie doesn’t really seem that way.

I’m unsure how to really “boost” temperatures. Do I have to buy a bigger bulb? I’ve also heard making nutritional slurries can boost their immune system as well. I have the appropriate fruits, but I don’t want to give him something that might overwhelm his tummy.

 

[JessiesGirl]

Hello,

So sorry you are feeling this way. I think we all at one point or another go through a phase
such as this when our dragon has fallen ill, when you can't figure out what has happened,
exactly.
Have you reviewed your tank setup with us, to be sure it is all correct?
Please post some pictures of him, along with your tank setup so we can look over it to be
sure it's all correct. For now, try to keep him a little warmer overnight, usually around 75-80
is good to help boost his immune system.
Let's focus on trying to adjust your lighting or temperatures, etc so we can try to get him better.
What are his symptoms currently?
I am moving your thread to the Health section.

Tracie

Thank you. No I haven’t really reviewed my tank; his tank is quite small (10 gallons, at the time i bought him he was so tiny I unfortunately didn’t think it would bother him if he stayed for a while) but I’m currently working on getting him something between 55 - 75 off of Craigslist or Facebook. He has a 50watt heating bulb and a 10.0 ReptiSun UVB coil bulb, both in separate domes, but the UVB is as close to his heating lamp as I can get it to be. I’ve been informed that using a coil is not good for them so I plan on getting a tube ASAP. For the cool side, his thermometer usually says 75 and the warm side is usually up in the 90s.

Right now, the only symptoms I’ve really noticed are his heavy/weird breathing + a few minutes before I saw this reply I found a white/clear booger-ish looking mucus on the tip of his mouth and I just now noticed some strings when he opened his mouth, so I’m almost positive he’s sick now :/. He’s also being fairly indifferent with his eating, but I kind of chocked that up to the fact that he was shedding. He just pooped in the bath a few moments ago and it looked pretty normal. Besides that I would still consider him very alert and curious - tail up, eyes bright, constantly looking around, and he doesn’t hesitate to crawl around my hand/arm and swim in the bath. I’m confused because people always say when beardies get sick they become lethargic, but my beardie doesn’t really seem that way.

I’m unsure how to really “boost” temperatures. Do I have to buy a bigger bulb? I’ve also heard making nutritional slurries can boost their immune system as well. I have the appropriate fruits, but I don’t want to give him something that might overwhelm his tummy.

Forgot to include a picture of him, whoops. Sorry I’m not the best photographer haha.